Pressure applicator for flowable material



Jan. 4, 1966 A. KRASZESKI PRESSURE APPLIGATOR FOR FLOWABLE MATERIALFiled Aug. 5, 1964 m m m 0 V T Jmm A M r my n AM WJ w m a United StatesPatent On ice 3,227,117 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 3,227,117 PRESSUREAPPLICATOR FOR FLOWABLE MATERIAL Arthur Kraszeslci, Newhurgh, N.Y.,assignor to Alpha Research (Jon-p New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed Aug. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 386,340 6 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) Thisinvention relates to adhesive applicator attachments securable to theframe of a sewing machine, and especially to that type in which theadhesive is forced through an applicator nozzle automatically on to sucha point of the work that the needle cannot pass through the adhesive.

The invention is directed to the provision of a simple inexpensivereadily attachable adjustable easily controlled and compact device forapplying auxiliary adhesive as required to various types of seams intextiles or other flexible sheet materials during the sewing operationand to supplement the stitching, thereby to meet extraordinaryconditions, or for special purposes some of which are described in moredetail hereinafter.

The invention is further directed to the provision of simple andefficient means for controlling the size, shape and position of thestream of emitted adhesive and for fully synchronizing the deposit ofadhesive with the accelleration, decelleration and stoppage of thesewing operation and for cutting off the stream while sewing withoutotherwise interfering with the operation of the attachment.

The invention is further directed to the provision of means for applyingadhesive in any desired direction to a selected point or area of thesheets to be stitched together, simultaneously with the sewing thereofand with or without the folding of a binding tape about the marginalportions of the sheets.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the descriptionwhich follows and from the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentaryelevational view with parts in section of a typical sewing machine frameand of the attachment in the operative position thereof.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the main part of the attachmenttaken in part on the broken line 2-2 of FIG. 3, showing also one form ofthe swingable and adjustable nozzle.

FIG. 3 is in part a horizontal section view taken on the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 and in part a bottom plan View of the gear pump and extrudingworm.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the combinednozzle and nozzle holder.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section of anothermodified form of the nozzle and holder showing the adhesive appliedbetween two sheets.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 5 partly broken away and showingbinding tape being applied to the edges of the sheets being stitched.

It is intended that the single shaft of the attachment be driven fromand in timed relation to any suitable part of. the sewing machine 10,whereby the same amount of adhesive is deposited on each unit length ofthe work during the feed of the work during the sewing operationregardless of the speed of such operation. In the form shown in FIG. 1,a convenient drive may consist of a gear wheel as 11 on the main shaft12 of the sewing machine, suitably engaged with a gear wheel 13 of anysuitable type of reduction gearing designated generally by the numeral14. Obviously however, the reduction gearing 14 may be driven through asuitable friction wheel from the usual hand wheel or pulley, not shown,forming part of the conventional sewing machine. From said gearing,suitable connections such as the universal joints 15 and 16 and thebevel gears 17 and 18 continuously rotate the single shaft 19 (FIGS. 2and 3) of the attachment at the required speed. If desired, the shaftmay be driven by means of a suitable flexible shaft from a selectedmoving part, not shown, of the sewing machine.

A container 20 for adhesive or other suitable material of the requiredviscosity such as sealing plastic, which will be referred to hereinafteras adhesive, is supported on the frame of the machine as by the bracket21 or otherwise supported or hung in a convenient place near themachine. From the container, the adhesive flows through the flexibletube 22 to the gear pump 23 of the attachment, where the adhesive issubjected to the desired pressure.

In order to insure the measured uniform and forcible delivery ofadhesive to the work at all times and regardless of the viscosity of theadhesive, the pump 23 delivers the adhesive to and cooperates with theextruder feed worm or screw 24 whereby the how volume depends solely onthe circumferential speed of the coaxially mounted and fixed togetherextruder work 24 and the pump gear wheel 23a, said speed in turndepending on the speed of the sewing operation. Driven by the gear wheel23a is the second idle pump gear wheel 23b on a short stud shaft 23cwhich has its bearing in the upper section 25 of the pump casing. Bothgear wheels 23a and 23b are housed in the pump chamber 26 of the casingsection 25. A substantial part of the circumference of each gear wheelfits the wall of the pump chamber closely and exactly so that even anadhesive of low viscosity cannot pass the gear wheel unless said wheelsare in motion.

The pump chamber 26 communicates with the nipple 27 for flexible hose 22and receives the adhesive from the container 24). The lower section 28of the pump casing closes the bottom of the chamber and has a flat topsurface 29 cooperating with the flat bottom surface 30 of the uppersection 25 to form a leak proof closure for the chamber. Extendinglongitudinally through the section 28 is the downwardly and inwardlytapering passage 31 for adhesive. The extruder worm 24 is fitted closelyand exactly to said passage to rotate therein in engagement with thewall thereof and serves in cooperation with the gear wheel 23a, withwhich it is in tandem, to feed a metered quantity of adhesivetherethrough on each rotation of the shaft 19 from which the wormextends. An important feature of this construction is the self cleaningaction of the pump and extruder worm in the attachment. The edges of thegear wheels are of the worm during the rotation thereof scrape off anyadhesive which may have hardened on the walls of the pump chamber andpassage 31 adjacent thereto during a period of nonuse of the attachment,wherebythe necessity for disassembling the parts for cleaning purposeson such occasions is eliminated. Because of the self cleaningcharacteristic of the pump and extruder mechanism, it becomes possibleto use elfectively a quick drying adhesive when desired withoutadversely affecting the operation of the attachment.

Connecting the pump chamber with the passage 31 is the inclined hole 32through which the pump forces the adhesive under pressure. Suitablescrews as 33 hold the sections 25 and 28 removably together forassembly, cleaning and repair purposes.

As has been indicated, special conditions may require the use ofadhesive of various characteristics. in clothing, bags, upholstery,cushions and similar articles which are usually stitched. For example,open mesh fabrics do not hold stitching well enough to take the wear towhich they are subjected when used in automobile ventilated seatcushions so that provision has previously been made to supply adhesiveto the stitching to reinforce it, and to the bindingtape customarilyused at the edges of the cushion, without having the needle pass throughthe line of adhe- 'sive. Similarly, where strong leak proof bags arerequired for such pulverant materials as hour and cement, reinforcementof the stitching against leakage therethrough is desirable. Certaintypes of clothing such as inflatable suits, or clothing whereextraordinary strength is required, are well adapted for thereinforcement of the stitching thereof. Upholstery of woven plastic maywell have adhesive reinforced seams and the open edges of inflatablefabrics may well be finished with auxiliary adhesive.

Means have therfore been provided herein whereby the stream of adhesivemay be directed to the exact point where it is required to supplementthe stitching, in the quantity desired and in the shape of the streamrequired for the most effective results. For such purposes, theattachment is intended to operate with various types of interchangeablenozzles such as are illustrated for example, in FIGS. 2 and 46. As bestseen in FIG. 2, the elongated neck of the pump section 23 is internallythreaded at the lower end thereof to receive the combined nozzle adaptorand male valve member 36. The adaptor is provided with the adhesivepassage 37 coaxial with and forming a continuation of the passage 31.The male needle valve member 38 projects from the bottom of the adaptor36 coaxially of the passages 37 and 31, the adhesive being dischargedfrom the passage 37 around the member 38 through the inclined holes 39under the urge of the extruder worm. In that form of the nozzle shown inFIG. 2, thefemale needle valve member 40 is internally threaded at itsupper part to receive adjustably the lower end of the male valve member38 and is also threaded externally at its lower end for the reception ofthe rotatable nozzle holder 41. The flexible O-ring 42 seals the lowerend of the threaded connection therebetween while permitting limitedrotational movement of the holder 4-1. The stop pin 43 projecting fromthe member 40 and inserted into a suitable recess 44 of limitedcircumferential extent, limits the swinging movement of said holderrelatively to the member 40 in either direction.

The triple threaded connection between the various parts permits thestream of adhesive to be cut off completely when desired by'the rotationof the member 48 in the proper direction to move the top of the passage45 therein firmly against the valve member 38. The stitching operationmay, nevertheless, proceed for a limited time while the valve is closed.While some heat is developed during the agitation of the adhesive by thepump and worm without advancing the adhesive, the amount of heat soproduced in relatively short spurts is negligible. Obviously, theadhesive may be cut off in other ways, as for example, by disconnectingthe drive to the pump by the interposition of a suitable clutch or otherdisconnecting device in such drive. Or the cut-off may be accomplishedby providing between the outlet port 32 of the pump chamber and theinlet port 27, a spring loaded by-pass valve to circulate the adhesivetherebetween under the pump pressure when the needle valve is closed, ina man ner which is now well understood and needs no further descriptionnor illustration.

As will now be apparent, the member 40 can be adjusted with respect tothe relatively fixed adaptor 36 to completely or partly open the needlevalve and thereby to control the quantity of adhesive in the stream. Tomaintain the part 46 in the properly adjusted position thereof, a setscrew 46 is provided passing through the flange at the upper end of themember 40 and into contact with the adaptor 36. The pointer 43 on theneck 35 cooperates with the indicating markings or scale 49 (FIG. 6) onthe top surface of the member 40 to indicate to the user the effectivesize of the needle valve opening and the conse quent quantity ofadhesive being delivered. After such effective size of the needle valvepasage has been thus determined and set, the nozzle holder 41 may berotated into the desired position relatively to the member 4d.

it into the stitching 62 (FIG. 6).

The rigid straight tubular nozzle 50 (FIG. 2) which can be used to applyadhesive between two sheets, is removably held in the hole 51 of theholder 4-1 by means of a suitable set screw 52 and has a hole thereincommunicat ing with the passage for adhesive in said holder. Said nozzleis of the desired length to arrange the discharge opening thereof at theproper point of the seam to be stitched and thereby to deposit thedischarge end of the stream of adhesive in the proper position to clearthe needle of the sewing machine. A handle 53 having a screw threadconnection with the end of the nozzle tube remote from the discharge endand having an elongated pin extension 54 is provided for manipulation ofthe nozzle by the rotation thereof as far as is permitted by the pin 43,the handle being used to withdraw the nozzle from the seam when thestitching is to be done Without adhesive, the O-ring permitting suchrotation of the nozzle and the holder 41 without breaking the seal.

In the form shown in FIG. 4, the female valve member terminates at itslower end directly in the tapered nozzle 55 adapted to deposit adhesiveon the top of a sheet such as one of open mesh fabric wherein theadhesive can pass through the openings in the mesh on to a second sheetor on to a binding tape or both.

Referring to FIG. 5, the nozzle holder 241 is shaped at its lower endinto the nipple 56 for holding the flexible nozzle 57 of plastic orother suitable material and shown as having the end portion thereof bentto assume a horizontal position wherein it is inserted between twosheets E58 and 59 of fabric. As shown, the discharge opening ispositioned outwardly of the sewing needle :9 so that the innermost partof the stream of adhesive clears the needle.

After the adhesive passes the needle, the presser foot 61' of the sewingmachine may flatten the adhesive and spread In the form shown, thenozzleend is flattened to provide a substantially rectangular dischargeopening producing a relatively wide and thin stream 63 of adhesive. Theangle which the nozzle makes with the line of stitching or feed of thework also affects the width of the strip or stream of adhesive depositedand may be varied to the extent permitted by the stop pin 43. For easein adjusting the angular position of the nozzle, whether in an operativeor inoperative position, a metal strip as 64- is secured to the nozzleas by means of the sleeve or loop 65 and'may have a pivot pin as 66thereon arranged coaxially of the extruder Worm and entering a suitableopening in the sewing machine table. By swinging the handle loop at theend of the strip 64 about said pin, the nozzle may be withdrawn from theseam or adjusted at the desired distance from the stitching and theeffective width of the deposited strip of adhesive adjusted.

In FIG. 6 is shown the edge binding tape 67 being folded around themarginal portions of the sheets in a known manner, the tape being foldedover the strip of adhesive deposited between said sheets, it beingunderstood that the end of the nozzle may be arranged Wherever de sired,and that a bifurcated nozzle would be used should it be required thatthe adhesive be placed simultaneously on two different surfaces of thesheets.

It will now be seen that there has been provided an extremely compact,efficient and relatively inexpensive attachment small enough forplacement on the frame of a typical sewing machine, adapted to depositadhesive Where and in the shape desired, having interchangeable nozzlesfor that purpose, adapted to control the size of the adhesive stripdeposited and to cut oft" such deposit and otherwise to attainadequately the various objects of the invention.

While certain specific forms of the invention have herein been shown anddescribed, various obvious changes may well be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. An adhesive applicator for attachment to a sewing machine comprisinga feed worm and a gear Wheel arranged on a common axis for rotation as aunit,

the gear wheel being part of a pump feeding adhesive to the worm,

a nozzle adaptor having an axis coaxial with the common axis andreceiving the end portion of the Worm and terminating in a needle valve,

nozzle means communicating with the valve, and mounting means detachablymounting said nozzle means on said adaptor.

2. The applicator of claim 1, the nozzle means includa nozzle, and

means adjustable relatively to the adaptor for supporting the nozzle.

3. The applicator of claim 2, the nozzle being of flexible plasticmaterial adapted to pivot about the common axis of the adaptor, the wormand the gear wheel.

4. An applicator for adhesive material comprising a gear pump having anupper casing section and a lower casing section closing the bottom ofthe upper section, there being a pump chamber between the sections,

means for conducting flowable material to said chamher,

a shaft,

an extension on said shaft passing through said upper casing section,means for driving said shaft, said gear pump comprising a gear Wheelfixed on said extension, a feed worm constituting part of said extensionand passing through said lower section, and a nozzle for receiving saidmaterial from the worm. 5. The applicator of claim 4, and nozzlemounting means for adjusting the nozzle toward and from the Worm andaround the axis of the Worm as a pivot.

6. The applicator of claim 5, the nozzle being flexible and having arectangular and relatively thin and Wide discharge opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,057,099 3/1913Stonban.

1,278,099 9/1918 Brackett 112-43 X 1,748,004 2/1930 Urguhart 103278 X2,362,922 11/1944 Palm 1035 2,464,014 3/1949 Wiltse 103-5 2,962,08211/1960 Lenney 11243 X 2,979,237 4/1961 Snow et a1 103-5 X JORDANFRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ADHESIVE APPLICATOR FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SEWING MACHINE COMPRISINGA FEED WORM AND A GEAR WHEEL ARRANGED ON A COMMON AXIS FOR ROTATION AS AUNIT, THE GEAR WHEEL BEING PART OF A PUMP FEEDING ADHESIVE TO THE WORM,A NOZZLE ADAPTOR HAVING AN AXIS COAXIAL WITH THE COMMON AXIS ANDRECEIVING THE END PORTION OF THE WORM AND TERMINATING IN A NEEDLE VALVE,NOZZLE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE VALVE, AND MOUNTING MEANS DETACHABLYMOUNTING SAID NOZZLE MEANS ON SAID ADAPTOR.